Top 10 other strikers you could sign for £35 million or less

Andy Carroll looks a bit pricey at £35m plus. Where else could Liverpool have spent their Torres cash?

1. Diego Forlan
The Atletico Madrid man famously flopped in the Prem last time out and signing an ex-United player might cause a bit of a stir, but he is a proven talent who stole the show at last summer’s World Cup.

2. Karim Benzema
France star Benzema has never looked entirely comfortable with Jose Mourinho. Real Madrid’s injuries caused the Spanish giants to be a tad more reliant on Benzema than you suspect the Special One would have liked, but with Emmanuel Adebayor now through the door a transfer could have been on.

3. Emmanuel Adebayor
Proven Premier League pedigree and clearly deemed surplus to requirements by Manchester City. Liverpool could have taken the initiative, pipped Real Madrid and taken the Togo international to Anfield.

4. Luis Suarez
Well, at least Liverpool saw the potential in this one and signed him as well. But when you look at Suarez’s track record and experience, you would imagine the Reds would find it difficult to part with the Carroll cash knowing they can get Suarez for a mere £22.8 million.

5. David Villa
OK, the world’s most in-form striker is probably not for sale but he was last summer. Barcelona snapped him up for less that the Carroll transfer fee. This is a bit crazy.

6. Darren Bent
A homegrown player, based in the North East, more proven than Carroll at Premier League level. Yours for a paltry £18 million a couple of weeks ago.

7. Fernando Llorente
Like Spurs, Liverpool have long been linked with a move for the Athletic Bilbao striker. He is exactly the same height and a similar player to Carroll, but he would cost about £10 million less.

8. Nicolas Anelka
Chelsea were quite happy to chuck him as a makeweight in the Torres deal. Again, he knows how to score goals in the Premier League and could have at least done a job until the less frantic summer transfer window.

9. Roque Santa Cruz, Jason Roberts, Nikola Kalinić, El Hadji Diouf, Benjani
That’s because Liverpool could have bought Blackburn Rovers for less than they are paying for Carroll.

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